Three people injured in gas tank store explosion

A pre-dawn bomb attack destroyed a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) store in Muang Narathiwat district, leaving three people injured, in what the police suspect to be the work of separatists.

Airborne fragments of gas tanks inflicted the injuries on the victims who resided about a kilometre from the scene of the blast.

The 2am explosion, which could be heard by residents in Jok Irong, about 30km away, left residents of Narathiwat town, about 4km away, in a state of shock.

At the height of the blast, gas tanks were flung about 2km away before they crashed into the roofs of some houses, while glass doors were shattered by the impact.

Between five and six armed men detonated two bombs at the LPG store after overpowering security guards, according to a security officer.

The incident at Jalan Pechakasem Pattani-Narathiwat in Kg Kubang Ikan, Muang Narathiwat was believed to be the work of separatists.

Narathiwat police chief Maj-Gen Pol Vichai Kasemwong said police received a call from the company's manager on three explosions which occurred at the gas plant.

He said the bomb explosions started a fire which destroyed the store in which were eight gas tanks.